Control valve for fluid dispensing system



Feb. 3, 1970 R. c. DREIBELBIS 3,493,010

CONTROL VALVE FOR FLUID DISPENSING SYS TEM Filed on. 25, 19s? 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 u ea-3 FIG.

RIC HARD C. DRE! BELBIS INVENTOR.

Feb. 3, 1970 R. C. DREIBELBIS CONTROL VALVE FOR FLUID DISPENSING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Oct. 25, 1967 RICHARD C. DREIBELBIS INVENTOR.

FIG. 9

United States Patent 3,493,010 CONTROL VALVE FOR FLUID DISPENSING SYSTEM Richard C. Dreihelbis, Fairlawn, N.J., assignor to H & H Thermostats, Inc., Cedar Grove, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Oct. 25, 1967, Ser. No. 678,023 Int. Cl. F16k 25/00, 31/14 US. Cl. 137454.6 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A control valve or regulator mechanism for the dispensing head of a fluid dispensing system in which a valve assembly and an actuating assembly are disposed to coact with each other in assembled position and wherein the parts of at least the valve assembly are made of plastic materials and the valve assembly is adapted to regulate range of adjustability of the fluid flow rate of the volume of water passed by the dispensing head in which the control valve or regulator mechanism is mounted.

PRIOR ART The prior art has come to recognize that in certain types of fluid distribution systems where the control valve is constantly subjected to use as for example in dispens ers for cooled water, generally referred to as water cooler units, it is accepted practice to utilize a control valve which is in some form of cartridge unit adaptable to fit into a suitable cavity or bore in the dispensing head for the fluid dispensing unit.

Cartridge type control valves facilitate the repair and the replacement of parts for such control valves.

Control valves of the cartridge type are illustrated in US. Patents 3,089,510, 3,003,519, 2,868,223 and 1,793,- 292.

In the prior art cartridge type control valves, the best known of which are illustrated by US. Patents 2,868,223 and 3,003,519, the unit has acquired the cartridge definition, because the control valve is formed in an assembly independently of the dispensing head and the dispensing head control valve will be so manufactured and designed that the control valve can be placed into assembled position into the dispensing head, and of course, can be easily removed therefrom, when repairs are required.

These prior art cartridge type control valves, however, require particular materials to insure long life. Since brass and nickel-chrome alloys are adapted to withstand the corrosive and erosive effects of fluids such as water being dispensed, these units have been made up of this type of material.

Further, these cartridge type control valves require the application of the best techniques for providing close tolerances which will insure a device or mechanism not only adapted to effectively control the flow of fluid in the distribution or dispensing system in which the control valves operates but in addition, will operate without leak age, loss of pressure or other detrimental fluid system characteristics and such last mentioned characteristics must continue trouble free for prolonged period of time in order to provide a unit which is competitive with other existing units presently on the market.

These problems of high material costs and the application of precise manufacturing techniques, are under constant attack because each change in material and each step which reduces the problems of manufacture, generally will permit a reduction in cost of manufacture, a factor which even in terms of pennies, renders the sale of such improved control valves more competitive, as the marketing of these cartridge type control valves is 3,493,01' Patented Feb. 3, 197

clone in large volumes to manufacturers of dispensin units and fluid dispensing systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention seeks to overcome these prio art problems by providing a multi-assembly control valv equivalent to the prior art cartridge type control valv wherein changes in material and manufacturing technique enable the unit to be manufactured with substantial cos savings.

This is accomplished in the present device, by chang ing the control valve into a plurality of assemblies am manufacturing at least the main elements of one of th assemblies of plastics.

It will be understood that while the present inventio1 illustrates only the valve assembly as being made of plas tie that it is within the scope of the present invention t1 have all the major elements of the control valve made 0 plastic.

Thus, the present invention covers an improved con trol valve for a fluid dispensing system including a valv: assembly and a valve actuating mechanism adapted t( coact with each other wherein said valve assembly in cludes, a bridge and a retaining ring to hold and moun said bridge is assembled position each made of a plastit material or the like type and a valve seat also of plasti mounted in a yoke type valve head; the valve head i: formed on a stem in turn connected to the valve actuating mechanism to provide means to move the valve seat intc and out of engagement with a valve outlet port in the bridge; the said bridge .being further provided with at inlet which communicates with a source of fluid to be dispensed and passage means to deliver said fluid to the valve outlet port and the valve assembly having an outlet means in the form of a passage adapted to be sized relative the outlet port in the associate bridge to provide means to regulate the range of adjustability of the fluid flow rate of the volume of fluid passing through the control valve.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved multi-assembly control valve adapted to coact with a suitable dispensing means in a fluid system which is relatively cheap and easy to fabricate and provides substantial cost savings over prior art devices.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a control valve for a fluid dispensing system wherein at least the components forming the liquid or fluid passages and chambers are made of plastic or the like material and are easily assembled and adapted to coact with the remaining parts of the unit in assembled position.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a dispensing head for a water cooler having a control valve in accordance with the present invention therein.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical cross-section of the dispensing head incorporating a control valve in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view of the various components of the valve in accordance with the present invention partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-section taken on line 44 of FIGURE 2 showing the disposition of the bridge element in the retaining ring.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-section taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the bridge element of the valve assembly.

IGURE 7 is a perspective view of the retaining ring ken away partly in vertical section to show the con- .ction thereof.

IGURE 8 is a perspective view of the yoke member. "IGURE 9 is an enlarged view of a fragment of the lge showing a modified form of valve port therefor. referring to the drawings,

IGURE 1 shows a control valve generally designated 1 accordance with the present invention as applied to fluid dispensing head 2 of a conventional push ton bubbler type water dispensing head of a conven- 1al water cooler device presently utilized in oflices, in- ;trial establishments, etc.

It will be understood that this merely represents one ferred application for illustrating the control valve the present invention and that the same is equally appli- 116 to water faucets, globe valves, etc., as is illustrated example, at FIGURES and 6 for the control valve vwn in US. Patent 3,003,519.

Fluid dispensing head 2 will be bored to form a cavity vnd a medially disposed sump or chamber 4. The sump chamber 4 opens into the floor of the cavity 3 and *mits the cavity 3 and chamber 4 to receive the revably mounted control valve 1 of the present inven- 1 as is clearly shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 of the ,wings.

The cavity 3 will connect to one end of an inlet passage the remote end of which is threaded as at 6 to permit inlet passage 5 to be connected to any suitable source fluid to be dispensed by the dispensing head and con- 1 valve and to permit the fluid to be delivered through control valve as hereinafter described. One end of an tlet passage 7 also communicates with the cavity 3 :l the end of the outlet passage remote therefrom concts to a chamber 8 which supplies fluid to the dispensoutlet 9 in a nozzle assembly 10 detachably connected :0 the dispensing head 2 adjacent a water deflector or ield 11 as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings. The control valve 1 of the present invention is mounted the cavity 3 and chamber means 4 or the dispensing ad 2 by the interengaging threaded means 12 at the en or mouth end of the cavity 3 and the threaded means on the control valve 1. These last mentioned threaded :ans 13 also serve to mount a push button retainer 14 which the push button 15 is retained as shown in FIG- RE 2 of the drawings. The push button 15 is held in n-actuating position by abutment with the upper end an actuating assembly generally designated 50 for the -ntrol valve 1 under the action of a push button return ring 16 about said actuating assembly all of which is ore fully described hereinafter.

The actuating assembly 50 of the control valve 1 coacts ith a valve assembly generally designated 20 to be more lly described. These two assemblies will be joined into l equivalent cartridge unit when both assemblies are serted and positioned in the cavity 3 and chamber eans 4.

VALVE ASSEMBLY The valve assembly 20 includes a bridge piece or eleent 21 and retainer ring 22 as shown in FIGURES 2, 3, and 7 of the drawings.

The bridge piece 21 and retainer ring 22 may be made 5 any suitable material but in the illustrated form of the .vention are preferably formed from plastic material [Ch as those materials sold under the trademarks Lelcon or Delrin made of fluorcarbon resins and assified as acetal copolymers.

While certain plastics have been above designated, it ill be understood by those skilled in this art, that any 'pe plastic, resin or similar material may be used for lese elements wherein the physical properties provide sod resistance against wire drawing; non-water absorpon; adaptability to hot and cold water system; tensile :rength and dimensional stability.

Thus, any thermoplastic or thermosetting material with the above properties which remains stable and is not adversely affected by constant exposure to air or water between the normal operating and shipping temperatures of 10 F. to F. experienced by the control valve may be utilized for elements of the control valves described herein and more particularly for the elements of the valve assembly.

The bridge piece 21 is a recto-linear member having a pair of spaced downwardly projecting nibs or elements 23 and 24 which are adapted in assembled position to fit into and engage the respective inlet passage 5 and outlet passage 7 at the points where they communicate with the floor of the cavity 3 in the dispensing head 2. Suitable sealing gaskets 25 and 26 are provided about the nibs 23 and 24. Sealing gasket 25 will prevent leakage of fluid into the cavity 3 as is shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings.

The bridge piece 21 includes a longitudinal flow passage 27 which connects at one end with an inlet 28 in the nib member 23 in alignment with inlet passage 5 so as to permit fluid from the inlet passage 5 to enter into the longitudinal passage 27 in the bridge piece 21.

The longitudinal passage 27 also communicates with an outlet port 29 centered in a seat means 30 which is formed on the bridge piece 21 substantially medially of the nib elements 23 and 24. The seat means 30 has a beveled or chamfered portion 31 to provide an optimum and effective seal and engagement for valve head 32. mounted for actuation towards and away from the outlet port 29 by the actuating assembly 50 to be hereinafter described.

The bridge piece has an outlet 33 formed therein at the end remote from the inlet 28. The outlet 33 extends through the bridge piece transversely of the line of the longitudinal passage 27 and through the nib 24 so that it is in alignment with the outlet passage 7 in the dispensing head. The end of the outlet 33 remote from the outlet passage 7 will in assembled position communicate with a fluid chamber 34 formed when the control valve 1 is assembled into position in the cavity 3.

When fluid enters this fluid chamber 34 from the sump or chamber 4 it will pass through outlet 33 and outlet passage 7 to the chambers 8 and dispensing outlet 9 in the nozzle member 10 of dispensing head 2 all of which is clearly shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawings.

If the size or diameter of the outlet port 29 in the bridge 21 is fixed, then by adjusting or sizing the diameter of the outlet 33 in the bridge piece relative the size of the outlet port 29 and easy and simple means for regulating the range of adjustability of the rate of fluid flow for the volume of fluid delivered by the dispensing head will be provided.

This fixed and variable orifice technique for regulating the range of adjustability of the fluid flow is a well-known expedient. However, in the present invention, the technique is expedited because the bridge piece 21 is made of relative cheap material and the serviceman handling this type cartridge can either have a plurality of bridge pieces with sized outlets 33 therein or alternatively the outlet 33 in the bridge piece can be sized at the smallest required diameter and rebored by hand tools to the desired sized opening by the service personnel when the control valve is installed.

FIGURES 2, 3 and 7 show that the retainer ring 22 is an annular cylindrical member which is flat at one end to fit against the floor of the cavity 3 and sized to enable the ring to fit snugly against the wall of the cavity 3. A groove 35 on the outer wall of the retaining ring 22 receives an O-ring 36 which engages the wall of the cavity 3 and seals against leakage of fluid being dispensed through the control valve 1.

The inner wall of the retainer ring 22 has bracket means 37 and 38 formed at diametrically opposite points thereon by thickened portions on the inner wall along cord lines relative a given number of degrees of are as is clearly shown in FIGURES 4 and 7 of the drawings.

The bracket means 37 and 38 have slot means 39 and 40 respectively in the medial portions thereof along the diametral lines of the retainer ring 22 and the slot means are shaped such that they receive in close fit engagement the respective ends of the recto-linear bridge element 21. The slot means 39 and 40 are of a depth just suflicient to bring the lower face of the bridge element 21 and the retainer ring 22 into substantially the same plane so that they will fit in assembled position in snug engagement with the floor of the cavity 3 all of which is shown in FIG- URES 2 and 4 of the drawings.

The upper end of the retainer ring 22 is provided With a circumferentially disposed ridge 41 which coacts with the connecting housing 42 of the actuating assembly 50 to hold and seal a diaphragm member 43 therebetween.

The diaphragm member 43 is circular in shape having a diameter approximately equal to the outer diameter of the control valve 1 and will be made of an elastomeric material. In assembled position in the cavity 3, the diaphragm member 43 and the valve assembly 20 delineate the liquid or fluid chamber 34 for the control valve 1.

The liquid or fluid chamber 34 formed by the control valve communicates with the sump or chamber 4 and with the end of the outlet 33 in the bridge piece 20 remote from that end of outlet 33 in communication with the outlet passage 7.

When the valve head 32 is in engagement with the valve seat 31, about the outlet port 29 no fluid will flow through the control valve 1. However, when the valve head 32 is moved out of engagement with the valve seat 31, fluid passes out of the outlet port 29 into the sump 4 and thence to liquid or fluid chamber 34 through the outlet 33 and outlet passage 7 in alignment therewith to the chamber 8 and the dispensing outlet 9 in the dispensing nozzle connected in the dispensing head 1.

An annular washer 44 is also positioned between the upper or outer face of the diaphragm member 43 and the lower or inner face of the connecting housing 42 of the actuating assembly 50.

The annular washer 44 has a laterally extending prong or projection 45 which as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 will engage a slot or key way 46 in the dispensing head 2.

The annular washer 44 acts to prevent the diaphragm 43 from wrinkling or being otherwise distorted when the respective valve assembly 20 and actuating assembly 50 of the control valve are being assembled in the dispensing head to provide an equivalent cartridge unit.

In order to control the flow of liquid or fluid from the outlet port 29 in the bridge piece 21, the valve head 32 is brought into and out of engagement with the valve seat 31 by the actuating assembly 50 now to be described.

ACTUATING ASSEMBLY Thus, the actuating assembly 50 includes a yoke member or stirrup 51 having a pair of spaced legs 52 and 53 which clamp a valve head holder 54 therebetween in which the valve head or closure means 32 is mounted, as is shown in FIGURES 2, 3, 4 and 8 of the drawings.

In assembled position, the yoke member 51 fits about the bridge element 21 to permit it to move normal to the longitudinal line of the bridge element. A valve stem 55 formed on the yoke member at the end remote from the point where the valve head is mounted will extend through a medially disposed opening 56 in the diaphragm member 43 and into a spring housing 57 where the threaded end of valve stem 55 receives a spring seat nut 58. In assem bled position in the cavity 3, the upper face 59 of the yoke member and the lower face of the spring seat nut 58 will together with the diaphragm disc 60 and lock washer 61, hold the diaphragm 43 and seal against leakage of fluid from the fluid chamber 34 formed in the control valve 1.

It will be noted that the spring housing 57 has an in wardly directed flange 62 which engages an outwardl disposed shoulder 63 on the spring seat nut and that thi inwardly directed flange is slidable along the outer S111 face of the nut to provide a lost motion means for pur poses which will appear clear hereinafter.

Mounted in the spring housing 57 between the oute end of the spring seat nut 58 and a range screw 64 is th! range spring 65 and about the spring housing 57 am between a shoulder 66 formed on the connecting housin, 42 and a laterally extending flange 67 on the spring hous ing 57 is the push button return spring 16.

By reference to FIGURE 9 an alternate valve seat fo the bridge element in accordance with the present inven tion is shown.

Thus, the bridge piece or element 21' in FIGURE 5 has a longitudinal passage 27' therein which commu nicates with a centrally disposed hole or passage it turn centered in a boss 101 and having a shoulder 102 formed at the end thereof adjacent to the passage 27'.

The hole or passage 100 will receive therein an annular stainless steel element 103 and this element has a through passage therein forming outlet port 29' which communicates with the longitudinal passage 27' in the bridge piece or element 21'.

A stainless steel insert for an outlet port in the inlet duct member of a control valve similar to member 103 in the present invention is shown and described in my copending application U.S. Ser. No. 549,888 and the details and advantages of such stainless steel inserts is therein described in detail and accordingly will not be elaborated on more fully herein.

ASSEMBLY AND OPERATION The bridge piece 21 and stirrup member 52 and its parts including the valve head 32 are first assembled into operative relation.

The valve assembly 20 is next pre-assembled by setting the bridge piece 21 and coacting stirrup member 52 into the retainer ring 22; the O-ring 36 on the outer wall of the retainer ring and the sealing gaskets 25 and 26 on the nibs 23 and 24.

Then the valve assembly 20 is positioned in the cavity 3 and sump or chamber 4 and the diaphragm 43, annular washer 44 and diaphragm disc 60 and lockwasher 61 connected to this assembly, all as shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawings.

An equivalent cartridge unit is formed when the connecting housing 42 and the associated elements of the actuating assembly 50 are next connected in the cavity 3 as by threading the connecting housing 42 into position and connecting the range spring housing; or range spring nut 58, range spring 65 and range spring screw 64 to the valve stem 55 so as to coact with the valve assembly 20.

In assembled position in cavity 3 in the dispensing head the range spring 65 and the range spring screw 64 will be adjusted to provide the desired setting for operating the control valve. It will be noted that when the spring housing 57 is depressed that it can only travel a predetermined distance and will shoulder against the upper face of the connecting housing 42.

However, by reason of the lost motion connection between the range spring nut 58 and the spring housing 57, the range spring 65 will expand to force the range spring nut 58 and yoke or stirrup 52 connected thereto the desired distance in accordance with the range spring setting.

When the stirrup or yoke 52 moves normal to longitudinal axis of the bridge piece of element 21 since it has a diameter and size less than the size of the sump or chamber means 4, as it uncovers the outlet port 29, fluid will flow into the sump and thence to the chamber 34 as above described.

Since the push button return spring 16 acts between the connecting housing 42 and the shoulder 67 of the lge spring housing 57 it will normally urge the range ing housing and the yoke or stirrup 52 connected =reto outwardly. This will in turn cause the valve head to engage the valve seat 31 and maintain the outlet rt 29 in the bridge piece 21 normally closed.

Movement of the spring housing 57 is accomplished by push button 15 which is set to engage the upper face the spring housing 57 in assembled position as shown FIGURE 2.

Thus, when the push button 15 is depressed, the spring using 57 will act simultaneously to compress the push tton return spring 16 and permit the range spring 65 compress and move the yoke or stirrup 52 and the lve head therein out of engagement with outlet port 29.

As a result, liquid or water depending on the fluid ing dispensed will pass from the inlet passage tough the bridge piece 21 into the sump 4 and fluid amber 34 communicating therewith; thence out of the id chamber 34 through the outlet 33 to the dispensing tlet 9 all as above described.

Since the outlet 33 has been sized relative the outlet rt 29 in the bridge piece 21, the volume of water will controlled as a function of the relative sizes of these |enings and the net differential axial forces across the aphragm member 43.

Thus, a simple effective equivalent cartridge unit is ovided in which at least the parts of the valve assemy' in contact with the fluid being dispensed are made of astic or the like materials and of simple construction hich is relatively cheap and can readily withstand the rrosive and erosive effects of the flow of fluid through e control valve.

Since the plastic parts can be molded easily and simply is clear that they will be cheaper than the correspondg metal parts which have been utilized heretofore and hich required machining and special connections in the lntrol valve to provide a device for performing the me result as is provided by the present invention.

Accordingly, the materials utilized in control valve 5 the present assembly are cheaper and the assembly 5 these units much simpler than heretofore obtainable the prior art. Further, the advantages of simple reacement of this cheaper device are obvious for the serving of these units.

What is claimed is:

1. A control valve to be mounted in a dispensing .eans for a fluid dispensing system comprising:

(a) a valve assembly made of plastic material having an inlet connected to a source of fluid to be dispensed, and an outlet port;

(b) a diaphragm member;

(c) an actuating assembly including means coacting with said valve assembly to open and close said outlet port and to hold said valve assembly, diaphragm and actuating assembly together to form an equivalent cartridge unit;

(d) said valve assembly including:

(1) an elongated bridge element having a longitudinal passage therein;

(2) said inlet communicating with one end of the longitudinal passage and said outlet port communicating with the longitudinal passage at a point medially along the bridge element;

(3) and a retaining ring having bracket means operatively associated with the bridge element to hold the same in assembled position in said dispensing means;

(e) said bridge element having an outlet extending transversely of the longitudinal line of the bridge element and in assembled position connected to deliver fluid from said control valve to the dispensing means;

(at) and the diaphragm and valve assembly in assembled position in said fluid dispensing system disposed to form a fluid chamber in said control valve to provide communication between said outlet port and said outlet in the bridge element for fluid to be dispensed.

2. In a control valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein the outlet in said bridge element is sized relative to the outlet port in the bridge element to regulate the range of adjustability of the fluid flow in the fluid dispensing system.

3. In a control valve as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bracket means in the retaining ring comprises:

(a) spaced slots of predetermined size;

(b) and said bridge means fits into and coacts with the slots to position the bridge in assembled position.

4. A valve assembly for a control valve in a fluid dispensing system comprising:

(a) a bridge element;

(b) a retainer ring;

(c) bracket means on said retainer ring;

((1) means in said bracket means operatively connecting the retainer ring and bridge means to hold the bridge means in a predetermined position in the control valve;

(e) said valve assembly made of a plastic material.

5. In a valve assembly for a control valve as claimed in claim 4 wherein said plastic material is from the class of acetal copolymers.

6. In a valve assembly for a control valve as claimed in claim 4 wherein:

(a) said bridge element has an elongated recto-linear shape; I

(b) the retainer ring is annular and the bracket means thereon includes at least two members disposed at diametrically opposite sides thereof;

(c) each of said members has a slot means of predetermined size and the bridge means fits in the slot means in assembled position.

7. In a valve assembly for a control valve as claimed in claim 4 wherein:

(a) the bridge element has an inlet connected to a source of fluid to be dispensed;

(b) an outlet port for said bridge element for passing said fluid into said control valve;

(c) and the bridge element having an outlet sized relative the outlet port to regulate the range of adjustability of the rate of fluid flow delivered by the control valve.

8. A bridge means for the valve assembly in a control valve comprising:

member is made of a plastic material.

10. In a bridge means as claimed in claim 9 wherein the plastic material is from the class of acetal copolymers.

11. A retainer ring for the valve assembly in a control valve comprising:

(a) an annular member having an inner wall and an outer wall;

(b) supports on the inner wall of said annular member including at least two bracket means disposed in spaced relation;

(0) each of said bracket means having radially extending mounting means formed therein;

(d) and means in the outer wall of the annular member to provide a seal for the valve assembly in assembled position in the control valve.

9 10 12. In a retainer ring as claimed in claim 11 wherein 3,089,510 5/1963 Lum 137-454 the mounting means comprises slots of predetermined and 3,166,500 1/1965 Noakes et al. 137-4546 X sized dimensions disposed on the inner wall substantially 3,241,806 3/1966 Snell 251-368 X transversely with respect to each other. 3,244,398 4/ 1966 Scaramueci 251-358 X 13. In a retainer ring as claimed in claim 11 wherein 5 3,297,298 1/1967 Sachnik 251-368 X the annular member is made of a plastic material. 3,279,495 10/1966 Taylor 137-454 14. In a retainer as claimed in claim 13 wherein the 3,395,890 8/1968 Eckert et al 251-368 X plastic material is from the class of acetal copolymers.

HENRY T. KLINKSIEK, Primary Examiner References cued 10 ROBERT J. MILLER, Assistant Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,868,223 1/1959 Lum 137-4546 US. C1.X.R. 3,003,519 10/1961 Homeyer et a1. 137-454.6 137-495 

